By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

Ahead of the first leg of their 2017 AFC Cup ASEAN Zone final series against Home United FC, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, Ceres-Negros FC midfielder Bienvenido Marañón said the match is the most important he will play in the two years he has donned the Negrense kit.
He said the club has to “focus from kick off until the final whistle.”
Fellow midfielder Iain Ramsay noted the significance of the match, with Ceres FC being the first Philippine club to make the ASEAN Zone final, calling it “a big step for Philippine football.”
He expressed confidence against the Singaporean side, calling his team “compact and can deliver goals.”
Ceres FC earned their spot in the zonal final after defeating 2015 AFC Cup champion Johor Darul Ta’zim FC of Malaysia on away goals after their two-match series resulted in a 4-4 draw on aggregate.
Home United, meanwhile, eliminated another club from the Philippines in their semifinal, Global Cebu FC.
The second leg is scheduled for next week, August 9, at the Panaad Park and Stadium./WDJ